Connecting through ConneX

Sarah Chill manages Youngstown State University’s new Corporate Communication Consulting Center, ConneX. This communication center, located in the basement of Maag library, is expected to establish relationships between the university and local businesses. Photo by Frank George/The Jambar.

Youngstown State University’s new Corporate Communication Consulting Center, ConneX, is now operational and can serve as a resource for local businesses and YSU department members.
Located in the basement of Maag Library, ConneX officially opened on Sept. 30 and primarily provides communication and training consulting resources to local businesses. By charging these businesses, the communication center is expected to generate revenue for
the university.
Adam Earnheardt, chair of the communications department and director for ConneX, said this center provides a unique service to
the community.
“While there are already some services on campus for small business and professional development, we found an area of need when it comes to communication skills,” Earnheardt said.
Bryan Depoy, dean of the College of Fine and Performing Arts, agreed with Earnheardt and added that ConneX can establish a relationship between local businesses and YSU.
“We are capitalizing on some extraordinary faculty and staff skillsets. When you combine that with a very real need for stronger communication skills among our corporations, I think that the university can be a real resource for the business community,” Depoy said. “I think it is an extraordinary opportunity for the university to partner with our businesses in the region.”
Depoy said that ConneX will offer workshops to businesses for them to build communication skills in subjects like public speaking, media relations and conflict management.
Sarah Chill, a graduate student studying interdisciplinary communications, manages the ConneX center. She said the center’s first few weeks of operation have been successful.
“I think, in general, it is a great service for new and upcoming businesses,” Chill said. “We’ve already had four or five people call looking for info and setting up appointments.”
Earnheardt explained that ConneX’s services are not exclusively offered to local businesses. Members of the YSU community can also take advantage of the communication center.
“The same services we offer small businesses are the same services we would offer various departments and colleges on campus looking to build their communication skills and strategies,” he said.
With the help of grant money, the department of communications has outfitted the ConneX center with state-of-the-art communication equipment, including five iMac computers, five MacBook laptops, 10 iPads and video conferencing equipment.